Bellavia Ribeiro-Addy | The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/profile/bellavia-ribeiro-addy
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Universities need investment not cuts | Bellavia Ribeiro-Addyhttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/apr/12/universities-need-investment-not-cuts
Raising fees will neither solve the university funding crisis nor widen the access to higher education the wider economy needs<p>One of the key decisions of the next government will be whether or not to implement higher student tuition fees, when a review concludes later this year. A <a href="http://www.nus.org.uk/en/News/News/NUS-warns-election-candidates/" title="NUS: NUS warns election candidates">poll last week</a> showing nine out of 10 voters oppose higher student top-up fees indicates that any government intent on doing so will be met with large-scale opposition.</p><p>Nothing underlines the failings of the current student funding system more than the fact that students are already burdened with mortgage-sized debts at the same time as the sector faces £1bn worth of cuts. In his Easter <a href="http://www.labourlist.org/mandelsons-state-of-the-race-update" title="Labour list: Mandelson's state of the race update">rallying call</a> to Labour party supporters, business secretary Lord Mandelson pointed out that "universities objected to the modest belt-tightening I have asked for from that sector. But government is about hard choices and we cannot shy away from them". The higher education cuts underway may be "modest" compared to the savage axe-swinging that politicians of all three main parties propose for public services after the election, but they are biting deeply in the sector. Departments are already being shut, thousands of staff face the sack and more than three-quarters of universities in England are to have their <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/mar/18/university-budgets-slashed" title="Guardian: University budgets to be slashed by up to 14%">budgets cut</a> for this September – some by nearly 14%.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/apr/12/universities-need-investment-not-cuts">Continue reading...</a>University fundingHigher educationUniversity administrationEducation policyEducationEconomic growth (GDP)BusinessMon, 12 Apr 2010 13:00:01 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/apr/12/universities-need-investment-not-cutsPhotograph: Sarah Lee/GuardianStudents from King's College London prepare to graduate. The increase in student numbers has been insufficient relative to other nations. Photograph: Sarah LeePhotograph: Sarah Lee/GuardianStudents from King's College London prepare to graduate. The increase in student numbers has been insufficient relative to other nations. Photograph: Sarah LeeBellavia Ribeiro-Addy2010-04-12T13:00:01Z